Always in this Twilight
by seren23
Summary: Rush made a face. "I'm not altogether sure I should be insulted or complimented by the comparison to a herd of bulls." TJ/Rush UST one-shot.


**Title:** Always in this Twilight  
**Ship:** pre-Rush/Johansen  
Rating: PG  
**Warnings:** Spoilers up to at least Water.  
**Disclaimer:** They are not mine. 'Tis a pity, really. The title is taken from iCosmic Love/i by Florence and the Machine. I also make mention of several pop culture items and people. They don't belong to me either.

**Summary:** Rush made a face. "I'm not altogether sure I should be insulted or complimented by the comparison to a herd of bulls." TJ/Rush UST one-shot.

**A/N:** This is my first foray into SGU. I've taken a few liberties with TJ's family and past. Please let me know what you think!

* * *

TJ walked carefully into the east quadrant of _Destiny_. The scientists had been exploring (without permission from Young, but that was a whole other story involving yelling and glaring) the previously ignored section and discovered some rooms that appeared to have some sort of energy reserves. They just hadn't been switched on yet.

After a minor coup, Young had finally given 'permission' for the scientists to go for it and see what they could find out. Power was power, after all and it was in everyone's best interest to make sure they had enough of it.

Secretly, TJ suspected that the fact that this project meant that Dr. Rush was well away from the main section of the ship and out of people's way was a perk that Young wasn't afraid to take advantage of.

Therefore, this was why TJ was on her way to one of the smaller rooms to find Rush and escort him to a meeting.

As she approached a bend in the corridor, she knew she was getting closer when she started to hear a familiar muttering. TJ poked her head inside the room. She took in the steel gray of the walls, and the utter lack of anything in the room except for a small panel in the corner. It was in front of this panel that she found Dr. Rush. She took a moment to just look at him.

He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, glasses on, with a pad of paper on one knee and clipboard on the other. He would touch a key on the panel, write something down and then speak into his radio.

"Did you get that last one, Eli?" he asked as TJ fully stepped into the room.

"Uh, yeah, yeah." Eli's voice was tinny over the radio. "It's good. Keep going."

"Okay. Can I help you with something, lieutenant?"

It took TJ a moment to realise Rush was actually talking to her. "Oh! Yes, actually. There's a meeting in the mess hall in an hour and you're cordially invited."

She could have sworn his lips twitched, but he covered it up quickly by scowling. "I'm a tad busy at the mo'."

"I know," she said. "But it does involve you and the science team."

"Is this an order?" he asked, still tapping keys on the panel and not looking at her.

"Not if it doesn't have to be," TJ said, remembering the exact words Young had used; _stubborn_, _mandatory_ and _drag him if you have to_ came to mind.

"Right. Well, we're almost done with this section, and I don't particularly fancy having to start in the middle of another row, so, it'll be a few minutes," he said.

"Okay," she said moving a little closer to look at the panel. She stopped about a foot away from him and started to count down in her head.

_Ten, nine, eight, seven..._

She was halfway to six when Rush said, "I'm not a fan of people looking over my shoulder, lieutenant."

TJ fought her smile and without saying anything, walked over to one of the walls and slid down the side of it to take a seat leaning against the wall. She pulled out her own small notebook from a pocket on her trousers and started to review some of the medical techniques she'd been able to obtain on her last visit using the communicating stones.

They sat in relative silence, Rush tapping on keys and relaying messages to Eli and TJ trying to learn an entire new field based on scribbled notes she'd managed to memorize. Sometimes Rush would get impatient and the inflection of his voice would rise, but on the whole, TJ had spent an hour in far worse company. Rush finally set his pad of paper down and massaged at his neck. She sensed rather than saw him look over at her.

"So, I take it you drew the short straw to be the one to come fetch me?" he asked.

She shrugged and made a small notation. "I was volunteered."

"I was under the impression that a person couldn't be 'volunteered'," he said.

"So was I," she said dryly remembering how Greer had bumped her elbow when the request was made. TJ shrugged and said, "But, it's no big deal. It's not like I was being asked to face down a stampeding herd of bulls."

Rush made a face. "I'm not altogether sure I should be insulted or complimented by the comparison to a herd of bulls."

TJ just smiled and closed up her notebook. They both stood at the same time and Rush made some final taps on the panel and spoke into his radio, "I'm leaving now, Eli. We'll start this up in an hour."

"Oh, okay. Um, wait. Ah, Dr. Rush, this is doing something weird."

The panel lit up brightly, a noise like a klaxon went off twice and the steel doors behind them slammed shut.

Both TJ and Rush stared at the sealed room, then at the panel, which had gone suspiciously dark, and then at each other.

TJ blinked. Then she said, "Well, that's just typical."

* * *

"Eli, what did you do?"

"Nothing! I didn't do anything! Volker, did I do anything? I didn't do anything!"

TJ was examining the door and Rush was back in front of the panel. He was hitting keys and nothing was happening.

"Right, right, fine! Eli, shut up! I'll just start from the beginning and retrace _everything_ we did. Now, let's get started."

TJ's own radio crackled and Young's voice came in. "Situation report, Johansen."

"We've been locked in one of the rooms in the east quadrant, sir."

"How are you for air?"

TJ looked at Rush for that one. He shrugged. "It's a high ceiling, and there's a small vent in the corner up there. We should be okay."

"Did you copy that, sir?" TJ asked.

"I did. I'm going to need more info than that."

"What other info do you require, colonel?" Rush called out beginning his tapping sequence again. "The situation is what it is. I'll do my best to get this running and we'll see. I do apologize for missing the meeting though. I'm sure it promised to be highly scintillating."

TJ turned her snort into a cough and said, "Sir, I suggest Dr. Rush and Eli do their thing and see where it gets us."

Silence, but Rush turned to look at her with an expression she couldn't quite place. TJ just stared back at him and raised an eyebrow. Then Young came back. "Fine. Keep me posted."

"Yes, sir," TJ said and Rush looked away.

* * *

  
"Eli, you have got to be kidding me!"

TJ winced at the sound of Rush's voice.

"It is very simple. Either the symbol is left-facing or right-facing. It can't be both. Now, start again." Rush sighed heavily and listened intently as Eli began to describe the symbols currently lit on the panel in the control room.

The young man stumbled over some of the pronunciations and it looked like Rush was about to explode, so TJ spoke up.

"You know, you might try seeing where some constructive criticism gets you," she said. Rush turned to look (_glare_) at her. "It might ease him down a little. Make the correction slightly less painful."

"Lieutenant," Rush started to say.

"What? What's the worst that could happen?" she asked. "You get locked inside a room with no bathroom for hours on end?"

He did the little lip twitch thing that she just knew was him trying not to laugh. Instead, Rush pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Okay, Eli. Read that last one back to me. Remember to inflect on the second syllable, not the third."

"Oh, right. Oh!" Eli continued his recitation without any stutters or major gaffes. TJ did her best not to smirk and Rush just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

* * *

  
"So, from what I can figure out," Eli said over the radio. "The room you're in is in lock-down. It was only meant to be used for short periods of time and must have some sort of... re-set button to conserve power."

"Oh, _lovely_," Rush said through gritted teeth and TJ shared the sentiment. "Any idea of how long this 're-powering' process takes?"

"Ummm. Well...."

"Eli. How long?"

"Ah... You're not going to like this."

"Eli!"

"Twelve hours and twenty-three minutes."

Silence.

"I'm sorry, Eli," TJ said feeling her stomach (and bladder) roll. "Could you repeat that?"

"Uh, twelve hours and twenty-three, oh, actually twenty-two minutes. I'm really sorry, TJ."

The look Rush gave her showed that he didn't miss the fact that she was the one who got an apology.

"Lieutenant," Colonel Young said.

"Yes, sir?" TJ asked ignoring Rush's huff of impatience.

"Is there anything that you were working on that needs to be seen to in your absence?" the colonel asked.

_Such as?_ TJ wondered. _My attempt to construct a working clinic with no supplies?_

"No, sir," she said fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Nothing that can't wait."

"Eli," Rush interrupted. "I'll need you to continue to log the readings coming from this sector. Be as precise as you can. I'll see what I can do here."

"Oh, sure. Have fun. Or...not. Um..." TJ could practically hear the wince the young man was most likely making. "Never mind. Sorry. Good luck."

"Hang in there, lieutenant," Young said. "We'll get you out as soon as we can."

"Yes, sir," TJ said.

The radios went quiet and the only sound in the room was the faint hum of _Destiny_'s engines.

Rush pinched the bridge of his nose again and TJ sighed.

* * *

  
_Eleven hours, fifteen minutes to go_

"Is there anything I can do to help?" TJ asked after an hour and a half of watching Rush write down the symbols that covered the large panel on the wall. To be honest, she was only asking because she was utterly, utterly bored and the only other person in the room was wrapped up in his own task.

_And you're certainly not asking because you like the sound of his voice. Right, Tamara?_ a little voice in her head taunted.

"Do you speak Ancient?" Rush asked.

"Not yet," she said rocking on her heels.

"Do you speak any languages?"

"French, some Spanish," she said. "Pig Latin."

Rush stopped writing and looked over. "Pig what?"

"Pig Latin. You know," TJ said. "Ig-pay atin-lay."*

The man just looked bewildered.

"Is-thay is-hay ow-hay ou-yay eak-spay ig-pay atin-lay," she said. "Ou-yay earn-lay en-whay ou're-yay a-hay id-kay."

_A camera_, TJ thought looking at the scientist. _My kingdom for a camera._

Rush's face was priceless. He stared at her without blinking for a full minute before saying, "Hat's-tay he-tay ost-may tupid-say anguage-lay."

"Very good!" TJ said with a smile. "Just remember to attach the initial consonant sound onto the _-ay_. Upid-_stay_."

"Upid-stay," Rush repeated. He looked at the panel and then back at TJ. "Get over here, lieutenant. You're about to get your first crash course in Ancient."

* * *

  
_Nine hours, thirteen minutes to go_

"I don't think I can take anymore," TJ said squeezing her eyes shut.

"Headache?" Rush asked.

"Oh no," she said. "I passed headache about an hour ago. I'm fully into head-agony territory."

Rush actually chuckled while he rolled his neck and shoulders. "Welcome to my world."

"I have got to look into some alternative remedies," TJ said to herself rubbing her temples. "I know I've read something about pressure points. Although, in this case, I think it's the lack of lunch."

He snorted and made a note on his notebook. TJ eyed him and said, "You skipped breakfast, too, didn't you? No wonder you look like a light breeze could carry you off. You really need to--"

"Yes, I know! Thank you, lieutenant," Rush said. "I appreciate the concern."

"TJ," she said. He looked at her with surprise and she inexplicably felt herself blush. "You're allowed to call me 'TJ'. Especially when you're being all, you know, snarky at me."

"TJ," he repeated. "You know, you don't look like a 'TJ'."

"It's the hair, isn't it?" she said. "Well, growing up, it was either TJ or Tammy and I didn't really want to share a nickname with a woman who bought eyeshadow by the bucket."

"I see your point," Rush said. "Well, TJ, I don't suppose you've got anything to eat on you?"

* * *

  
_Seven hours, forty-eight minutes to go_

From her position, sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall, TJ stretched her legs out in front of her and rotated each foot in a circular motion. Rush sat about a foot away from her and watched her movements.

"So, is this the point where we start listing all the things we miss from home?" Rush asked. His voice was only slightly mocking.

TJ smirked and said, "Mexican food, my cat, wandering around barefoot, long, hot showers and my grandmother's quilt."

Rush blinked. "That's surprisingly specific. Clearly, you've given this some thought."

"I've been going off world for a while now," TJ said. "Before that, I was in training and before that, I was at basic. I've had some time to prioritize the things I truly miss."

He nodded. "You mentioned your cat?"

"Audrey."

"You named her Audrey?"

"Well, she's an orange tabby, so..."

Rush frowned and looked lost.

TJ smiled and said, "_Breakfast at Tiffany's_. Audrey Hepburn played Holly Golightly who had an orange tabby. It seemed appropriate."

"Oh," he said still frowning. "And who's watching Audrey?"

"My sister-in-law," TJ said. "Much to my brother's chagrin. He's more of a Labrador type of guy."

They sat in comfortable silence for a minute.

"George Peppard, right?" Rush asked. "He played the writer."

"Yes! That's the one," TJ said turning to him with a happy expression.

"I remember it. My wife always..." Rush cut himself off and looked straight ahead at the wall opposite. TJ looked away and drew her legs up close to her body.

The silence that followed was not comfortable.

Until Rush said quietly, "Apples. I miss apples."

* * *

  
_Five hours, thirty-six minutes to go_

"Comfortable?"

"Not really."

"At least it's not freezing."

"Is the cup always half full with you?"

"I think _Destiny_ has more than her fair share of pessimists, don't you?"

Rush turned his head to study TJ as they lay on the hard floor with only their own arms as pillows.

"I didn't think anyone else thought of the ship in terms of 'she'," he said. "As if she was a being in her own right."

TJ turned on her side and slid her hand under her head and said, "I had an uncle in the Navy. He mentioned that calling a ship 'she' and 'her' was because although the ship could be hard to handle, if you treated her right, she'd always take care of you and bring you home."

Rush didn't bother to hide his smirk. "I suppose we better hope she's listenin' and likes us."

_He must be tired_, TJ thought. _His accent is stronger. It sounds like poetry._

Her own eyes felt heavy, so she let them close, but said, "Keep talking."

"I'm sorry? Talk about what?" he asked amused.

"Anything," she murmured.

"Ah, well, I think I've finally figured out how to re-route the power from this quadrant to the main section. It's actually a lot simpler than I expected..."

TJ was asleep by the time he got to the math.

* * *

  
_Thirty minutes to go_

TJ wasn't sure what woke her up.

All she _did_ know was that she could hear a strong heartbeat under her ear and her hand was twisted in soft cotton.

As she became more aware, she realized that her body must have migrated in the night, because she was currently curled around Nicholas Rush, her head on his chest and her left leg was entwined with both of his. A slight pressure on her side alerted her to the fact that his hand was, in fact, resting on the space right above where her hip flared. His index and middle finger had made their way under her shirt and rested gently on her bare skin.

TJ could feel a warmth from that light touch spread all over her body.

She wondered if he was awake.

Slowly, she turned her head to look at him and froze when she found his gaze already on her face.

His expression was one she'd never seen on him before. It was relaxed and open. His eyes were dark with a drowsy fondness directed towards her that made TJ's chest ache. Her eyes roamed over his face and her fingers trembled with the urge to trace the sharpness of his cheekbones and the corners of his lips.

Her hand unclenched his shirt and made the tiniest of movements towards him.

"Lieutenant? Johansen, are you there?"

At the crackle of her radio, the openness on Rush's face slammed shut. TJ nearly gasped from being so harshly shut out. Instead, she just rolled away from Rush and her hand scrabbled on the floor to find her radio. Rush got up so quickly that his body swayed as the blood rushed from his head, but he propelled himself forward to stand in front of the panel.

"Lieutenant?" Young's voice was insistent.

"Yes," she said. "Yes. I'm here."

"Is everything okay, TJ?" he asked.

_Well, I just woke up in Rush's arms and just having his_ hand _on me was the single most erotic moment I've had in years_, she thought. _Now, is that a SNAFU or simply FUBAR? I don't quite know._

"Yes, colonel," she said rubbing her eyes. "Everything's fine. I... We wouldn't mind getting out of here though."

"Looks like the timer's about ready to go," Young said. "Eli?"

"Oh, yes. Dr. Rush, I don't think you're going to have to do anything, but..." Eli said.

"I'm in front of the panel, Eli," Rush said slipping his glasses on. "Let's see what happens."

Five minutes later, the panel came back to life and the doors slid open.

* * *

  
_Three days later_

To say that TJ had gone out of her way to avoid Dr. Rush would not be accurate. To say that _he_ had gone out of _his_ way to avoid _her_, might be closer to the truth.

When they did interact, TJ would wonder if she'd dreamed the entire incident. He hadn't mentioned it and he certainly hadn't looked at her in the same way he did. In fact, he hadn't met her eyes once.

It wasn't as though she expected him to actually _ talk_ about it, but a nod every now and then would have been nice.

However, halfway through the fourth day after the lock-in, it occurred to her that Rush was often seen to actually be eating breakfast in the mess hall.

On the fifth day, she overheard Eli talking to Chloe about how Rush had only yelled at him twice that morning instead of his usual dozen.

And finally, on the sixth day, there was a particularly scathing and derisive confrontation between Young and Dr. Rush. The scientist, while glaring at the back of the colonel's head as Young stormed out of the room, muttered, "Upid-stay."

TJ, who'd been studying her shoes during the fight, couldn't hold back the giggle that escaped. She bit her lip and quickly looked Rush.

To her surprise, he was looking back at her with such a smirk on his face that she immediately grinned back. The smirk slowly faded from his face and he looked thoughtful. Then he cleared his throat and turned around to tap on a console. TJ took a few steps closer to him and ignored the looks the other scientists in the room were shooting them.

"Sure you wouldn't rather take your chances with a herd of bulls?" he asked quietly.

TJ shrugged and said, "Do your worst, Dr. Rush."

He lifted his eyes to meet hers and TJ met his gaze evenly.

Rush hmph-ed and turned back to the console. "Then I suggest you get out of here and practice your Ancient, because there will be a test later."

"Yes, sir," she said and TJ didn't bother to hide the smile that stole across her face as she left the room. 

* * *

Translations:

Ig-pay atin-lay – Pig Latin

Is-thay is-hay ow-hay ou-yay eak-spay ig-pay atin-lay. – This is how you speak Pig Latin.

Ou-yay earn-lay en-whay ou're-yay a-hay id-kay. – You learn it when you're a kid.

Hat's-tay he-tay ost-may tupid-say anguage-lay. – That's the most stupid language.

Upid-stay – Stupid. 


End file.
